Machine for affixing stamps and labels.



G. J. PANGHER, J. H.` BURTZ E. VAN WINKLE.

MAGHINE FOR APPIXING STAMPS AND LABELS.

THE NoRRIs FE1-Ens co.. wasn/Alarm'` D, c,

CLJ. PANCHER, J. H. BURT & E. VANWINKLE.

MACHINE FOR AFFIXING STAMPSANDLABELS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 29, 1909. l 977, 1 75. Patented Npv. 29, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 rHE mmm: persas co., WASHINGTON, n, c.

Umrnn STATES rATnNT onirica.

CHARLES J. FANCHER, OF THOMPSONVILLE, CONNECTICUT, AND JAMES H. BURT AND EDWARD VAN WINKLE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO THE SIMPLEX MANUFACTURING COMIANY, OF THOMPSONVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR AFFIXING STAMPS ANI) LABELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Application filed October 29, 1909. Serial No. 525,345.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES JAMES FANCHER, residing in Thompsonville, town of Enfield, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, and JAMES HENRY BURT and EDWARD VAN VINKLE, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, all citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in hIachines for Affixing Stamps and Labels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to improvements in Stamp aflixing machines, more particularly to the type of machine in which the stamps or labels are fed from a. roll, moistened, severed, and pressed into engagement with the object on which it is desired to be atlixed, and has for its object to provide means to prevent extracting stamps from the machine other than singly and in a moistened condition, ready to be applied to a packet.

. A further object is to provide a means which will prevent a careless operator from severing a stamp from the roll in a wrong place and also to provide a means for locking the machine, automatic in its release, and at the same time raising the stamp from the wick when not in use.

The foregoing and other features of the invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying two Sheets of drawings forming part of this specification in which we have represented a wellknown stamp-aiiiXing device in dotted lines, and our improvements in the preferred form in heavy lines.

Referring to the drawings in which similar characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a well-known hand stamp or label afiixer shown in dotted lines and our improvements relating thereto shown in full lines. Fig. 2 is an end elevation, (right hand end of Fig. l). Figs. 3, 4 and 5, show details of the ratchet we employ. Fig. 6 is a section A A Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a side elevation opposite to that shown in Fig. l. Fig. S is an end elevation, the same as shown in Fig. 2, except that the plunger is locked in its lowest position. Fig. 9 is a detail of the stamp-feeding drive and its escapement. Fig. 10 is a top view of rack shown in eleva- `moistening tank and mechanism interposed between the reciprocating plunger mounted in the aforementioned ways and the Stamp reel to intermittently feed the stamps over the shearing knife and moistener. Inasmuch as these details are common to a great many stamp aflixers, it will not be necessary to further explain the details, because no.

claim is made to these features.

Referring particularly to Figs. l, 2 and the details of our locking device are plainly shown. On the vertical uprights l of the main frame 2 is pivotally mounted a T-piece 3, provided at the long end with a hook 4. In the vertical ways of the uprights l, the reciprocating plunger 5 is mounted, which iS provided with a pin 6, protruding through the way. 0n the end of the shaft 7, carrying the stamp guides 8, we. provide a rocking lever 9, which comes in contact with one side of the T-member 3, as at l0, and holds the hook 4 out of the path of the pin 6 either by gravity or spring. Vhen the plunger 5 is in its normally lowest position, as shown in Fig. 3, the T-piece may be manually hooked over the projecting pin 6, as will be readily understood. This also rocks the shaft carrying the stamp guide and raises the stamp from the wick 40, as will be readily seen by referring to Fig. 3, which is the normal position of the parts when the machine is not in use.

To put the machine in active operation, all thatis necessary is to press down the plunger and the hook i is released from engagement with the pin 6 and by gravity or spring action returns to its first position, as shown in Fig. l. The plunger by action of its spring 18 is raised to its normally highest position. With this arrangement, it will be readily understood that the stamp is raised from the wick 40 only when the machine is locked and not in use, whereas in present practice the stamp is raised from the wick upon the completion of each and every stroke. IVith rapid operation, it will be readily understood, this stamp must be returned to the Wick rapidly and if the wick is moist it occasions a spattering which meistens the stamp and it is liable to stick to anything with which it comes in contact.

It will be readily understood that the stroke of the plunger positively feeds the stamp, each stroke, and if the operator does not allow the full return stroke, only a portion of a stamp will be severed from the roll. In order to prevent this serious defect, we provide a ratchet movement which compels the completion of the stroke in each direction before the plunger' is allowed to return. These details are plainly shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, in which the plunger 5 is slidably mounted in a bearing 11 at the top of the vertical uprights 1. The stamp i'eel 12 is mounted to the frame. Between the stamp reel and the bearing 11 we provide a slot or bearing for the pawl 13, actuated by spring 14. In the plunger 5, we provide ratchet 15 at either end of which are holes 16 into which the noseV of the pawl 13 is allowed to fall on the completion of the stroke in either direction. It must be seen that it will be necessary to press the plunger down to its lowest position and allow it to return a full stroke each time. Fig. 6 is a section of the bearing 11 showing an internal projection 17 of the main frame, provided for the lower bearing of the spring 1S, the object of which is to raise the plunger to its normally highest position. lith this ratchet attachment to the plunger, making it necessary for a complete stroke every time, it will be readily understood that it will be impossible to cut a stamp in half and when once adjusted to the proper position of feed the stamps will be severed in the margin between each stamp and in no other place.

Referring particularly to Figs. 7,8 and 9, the portions shown in full lines, we employ a rack 20 mounted on the plunger 5. This rack is adapted to engage and mesh with the teeth of the segmental gear 21, pivotally mounted to the main frame at 22. This segmental gear has an extension 23 provided with a pin 24 on which is pivotally mounted a spring pawl 25 adapted to ride on and engage the teeth of the gear 26, pivotally mounted at 22. In the back of the gear 26 is a -toothed ratchet 27. Pivoted to the main frame at 28 we provide an escapement and pawl 29 which engages the teeth of the ratchet 27 and the pin 24 simultaneously. At the other end of this escapement we provide a tail 30 having a notch 31. This tail-piece, acting as a cam, slides between two pins 32 mounted on the inner face of the rack 20. As this rack reciprocates with the plunger, the pawl is withdrawn from engagement with the teeth of ratchet 27 and pin 24, as will be readily understood by referring particularly to Fig. 9. lith this positive action it is impossible to revolve gear 26 only a third of a turn as and when desired. The object of the hook engaging the pin 24 is to provide a means to securely hold the segmental gear 21 in its proper position against pin 41 in the main frame, so that the teeth of rack 2O will readily mesh with the teeth of the segmental gear 21. le also provide an extension 39 on the forward end of the segmental gear 21, the object of which is to strike against the upper face 42 of the rack 2O and start the gear 21 to revolve, thus preventing any possibility of dead center when the teeth of the rack .start to mesh with teeth of gear 21.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by --Letters Patent is,-

1. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocating plunger provided with means for advancing the stamps over a wick, in combination with means for locking the plunger when not in use, means actuated by the aforesaid locking means for raising the stamps away from the wick.

2. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocating plunger and stamp-feeding means, in combination with a manually-operated means for locking the plunger, but automatic in its release, means actuated by the aforesaid locking means for raising the feeding means.

This specification signed and witnessed this 21st day of October, A. D., 1909.

CHAS. J. FANCHER. JAMES H. BURT. EDVD V AN IVINKLE. In the presence of- F O. DUTToN, MAURICE FANCHER, MARGUERITE Ross. 

